With the motive of exploring the contribution of cultural heritage in defining cultural identity, Jeddah and Riyadh are both hosting a public photography exhibition called ‘My Father's House'. This exhibition will be on ‘tour' in the Middle East until the end of the year to both ask and answer the question of “How do people see the place they live in?” The primary focus is on how architecture is forming this perception. The first exhibition - organized by the British Council and the Jeddah Municipality - took place in Jeddah with the inclusion of five photograph exhibits from Saudi photographer Wed Abduljawad, Hafith Ali from Qatar, Lamya Gargash from the UAE, Camille Zakaria from Oman and Bushra Mutawakkil from Yemen. “I am interested in photography but what attracted me to this exhibition was the merging of Arabic and European influences, as depicted by the participation of Hazel Thomas, Tim Hetherington and Tom Lovelace, who showcased their prize winning photography from the United Kingdom,” remarked Mazen Al-Shamari, a Jeddah-based Saudi photographer. The exhibition itself introduced the medium of photography through realistic photographs that fulfilled the traditional purpose of telling a story, as well as depicting changing landscapes, archeological sites, restoration projects and the role women can play in shaping society. According to Sean Williams, the coordinator of the exhibition, the photographs were inspired by the diversity of the cultural heritage and architecture that have contributed so significantly to shaping the region's identity. The exhibits included large-scale photography, audio and video resources as well as short films on the transformations that have historically taken place in the region. During the exhibition, the Saudi photographer Wed Abduljawed spoke extensively about Old Jeddah and the people who have lived there in the past. “I liked the contradiction of facts that were presented through Bushra Mutawakkil's photographs where she has depicted homes in old Sana'a, including those of poor families as well as the small community of luxury villas in the suburbs of metropolitan cities,” remarked Lebanese photographer Basma Hassan. During the exhibition, Tim Hetherington submitted a study of the architectural achievements in Yemen and the UAE, as well as a personal interpretation of the exceptional beauty of some of the structures that can be routinely seen in daily life. Launched in Jeddah on Sept.24, the exhibition is on tour of Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and Qatar; it ends with special finale in the United Kingdom. It ended in Jeddah on Oct. 12, starts in Riyadh on Oct. 24 and will end there on Nov.5. It also includes a number of interactive events and workshops for both beginners and professional photographers.
